Vipassana in the United States
 

Friends:
I really like this article:

Insight Meditation in the United States: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

by Gil Fronsdal

from Charles S. Prebish and Kenneth K. Tanaka, THE FACES OF BUDDHISM IN AMERICA,
Chapter 9

& was wondering if anyone would like to discuss it.
b@eze
Bucky

http://www.insightmeditationcenter.o...-of-happiness/

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Hi Bucky

i browsed thru the article, which seemed to focus on the term 'vipassana'

'vipassana' is insight or direct seeing into the three characteristics

where as the principle practise in the Mahasi technique is mental noting, probably close to what the buddha called yonisomanasikara or reasoned reflection

my opinion is this is a preliminary practise, which develops 'self-awareness' and can help a practitioner achieve harmony (rather than conflict) with their mind

but any genuine vipassana will have letting go as its fruit and any letting go will have samatha & samadhi as its fruit

so I doubt there can be such thing as dry vipassana or only vipassana

imo, we must be careful to not adulterate terms like 'vipassana' and 'mindfulness'

regards

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Niether vipassana nor yonisomanasikara are new to me. I want to discuss this, not read a mini-lecture. I don't recall Gil using either "dry vipassana" or "only vipassana" in the ch. excerpt. No "adulteration" is occuring.
plezeB@eze
Bucky

Of course adulteration is occuring. The term "vipassana" is being hijacked to describe a form of self-administered American psychotherapy.

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Bucky,

Thank you for posting this. I'm interested in and generally supportive of the insight meditation movement, and thought he gave an excellent overview.

One good question he raises is whether it will prove able to outlast the baby boomers. Western Zen, to use another example, attracted plenty of interest in the 50s and 60s, but the momentum seems to have ebbed since then. Will the same thing happen with IMS? I've noticed that people in their teens and 20s who are drawn to Buddhism tend to flock towards Vajrayana. But perhaps that trend will subside too, especially if no one proves able to fill the Dalai Lama's role once he goes.

Is the history of Western Buddhism one of successive movements that attract attention among a certain generation and demographic, then vanish as circumstances and conditions change? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

He who has the youth has the future...

Greetings Lazy Eye.
Thanks. I'm excited to see how it turns out too. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/hands.gif

Greetings Element:
Do you know if Ven. Sujato's YouTube dhamma talks can be found transcribed in text online?
Metta http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/grin.gif
bucky